Forced air floor furnace



Nov. 26, 1963 M. o. WlLHOlTE HA1 3,111,940

. FORCED AIR FLOOR FURNACE Filed Jan. 11, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 12 F I G. 2 6 MURRAYO. WILHOITE dAMES R. HILLIN Nov. 26, 1963 M. o. WILHOITE El'AL 3,111,940

FORCED AIR FLOOR FURNACE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1962 @JAME o fill-LIN nd h Nov. 26, 1963 M. o. WlLHOlTE El AL 3,111,940

FORCED AIR FLOOR FURNACE Filed Jan. 11, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INV EN TOR.

MURRAY 0. WILHOITE JA ES R. HILL N BY WMMfl JIM Nov. 26, 1963 M. o. WlLHOlTE ET AL 3,111,940

FORCED AIR FLOOR FURNACE Filed Jan. 11, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I'I'II" INVENTOR. I MURRAY 0 wlu-am'ra JAME$ amt a w W J MZ/MM prm/e/vfys United States Patent Ofifice ii-diifi ifl Patented Nov. 26, 1%53 3,111,940 FORCED AIR FLOOR FURNACE Murray 0. Wilhoife and James R. ll-liilin, Nashville, Tenn,

assignors to Temco, Ina, Nashville, Tenn, :1 corporation of Tennessee Filed Jan. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 165,647 10 Claims. (Cl. 126116) The present invention relates generally to warm-air space heater construction and has particular reference to a new and improved gas floor furnace and heating system.

According to this invention, there is provided a floor furnace construction which includes a heater casing divided by a partition wall into a blower chamber and an air heating chamber, which latter is of closed construction. Carried within this blower chamber is a fan or blower which recirculates air from the surrounding space into the air heating chamber and thence through the duct work connected thereto. In this regard, there is provided a novel pienum formed in the lower end of the heater casing; and, combustion chamber housings of new and improved construction are carried within the air heating chamber to re-heat the air in a notably superior manner.

Still further according to this invention, there is provided a gas floor furnace of the character described, wherein combustion chamber housings carried within the air heating chamber are of new and improved construction. To this end, the combustion chambers are each formed of opposed stamped plates, having enlarged lower ends which receive the burners and are joined to one another. The upper portion of the combustion chamber housings terminate in a restriction line extending substantially across the entire longitudinal surface thereof, sharply reducing the cross sectional area of the chamber. Each chamber has a downwardly and transversely outward duct portion integrally formed in the stamped plates to effectively distribute the heat of combustion throughout the area of each chamber and thence expel the same through a vent stack or the like. Further, each combustion chamber housing is provided with means for rigidly supporting the respective burner head assembly therein so as to provide a rigid and structurally sound assembly.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gas floor furnace of the character described which includes new and improved plenum construction wherein the air blown into the air chamber is effectively passed along the combustion chambers for reheating and then is circulated to a U- shaped plenum carried in the lower end of the casing.

Other objects of this invention include the provision of: (1) a gas floor furnace which obviates the requirement for return ducts due to the arrangement of recirculating the air directly through the furnace from remote areas of distribution; (2) a floor furnace construction which includes new and improved electric circuit control means providing a room thermostat controlling a gas supply valve for the heater and a fan thermostat mounted at the discharge side of the heater to maintain the blower motor in operation until after the gas supply is cut off, depending on the signal of the room thermostat; (3) a floor furnace which is of efficient and relatively inexpensive construction, and is easily fabricated and assembled to provide an efiicient and trouble-free space heating arrangement.

These and still further objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the specification and claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a heater according to this invention;

FIGURES 2-4 are section views taken substantially along lines 22, 3-3, and 44, respectively, in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation section view taken substantially along line 55 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a combustion chamber housing according to this invention;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are section views taken substantially along lines 77 and 8--8 in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit according to this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an outer heater casing 10 which is of generally rectangular construction defined by opposed side walls 12, i2 and opposed end walls 14, 14. The lower end of the heater it) carries air outlet ducts 16 which have suitable discharge grilles 18 at areas remote from the heater it). The end wall 14 has a combustion outlet 20 connected to a stack or the like (not shown) in the usual fashion. The heater it is adapted for installation in the floor of a building and accordingly carries a floor grate 22 at its upper end wherein the walls l2, l2 and l4, 14' are conveniently flanged at their upper ends at 23 for appropriate support on a floor (not shown).

The transverse partition wall 24 is carried by the side walls l2, l2; and, a top wall 26 extends over the portion of the heater casing 19 defined by the partition wall 24 and the end wall 14. Suitable reinforcing plates are carried adjacent the respective walls to provide a rigid structure, as is apparent. Accordingly, the casing in is thereby divided by the partition wall 24 into a blower chamber 28 and an air heating chamber 39. As best shown in FEGURE 3, a bottom wall 32 extends across the air heating chamber 30, while another bottom wall 34 is carried across the lower end of the blower chamber 28. The blower chamber 225 is of relatively shallow depth compared with the air heating chamber 36 and the walls 28 and 3t} are joined by an inclined transition wall 36 having an enlarged generally rectangular passage 33, for reasons to become apparent.

The partition wall'z i has an opening 4t! providing communication between the blower chamber 28 and the air heating chamber 39, and a centrifugal blower 42 is carried within the blower chamber 28 and positioned with its discharge side 44 joined to the opening to discharge air into the air heating chamber 30. Conveniently, the blower 42 is mounted to the bottom wall 34 of the blower chamber 23 by suitable supporting bracket means 46. The blower 42 carries a conventional electric motor iii mounted within the chamber as by any suitable means (not shown) and the blower chamber 28 is otherwise open from the top. A conventional air filter pad is carried across the upper end of the blower chamber 28 by brackets 52. so that air enters the blower 42 from the top of the heater casing ll), through the filter 5% and is discharged into the air heating chamber 30 via the opening 49 in the partition wall 24.

Carried within the air heating chamber 30 are plurality of combustion chamber housings 54 which are longitudinally aligned with respect to one another, as best shown in FIGURE 2. Each housing 54 includes an enlarged lower portion 56 wherein combustion is effected, and tapers upwardly, terminating with a restricted upper portion 58 in the form of a line extending longitudinally upwardly and rearwardly thereof. By virtue of providing this restricted portion in each combustion chamber housing 5d, the heat generated herein is effectively distributed throughout the surface area of the housing and short circuiting of the flow of combustion gas is effectively obviated. Each housing 54 also includes a gas discharge portion 60 abruptly opening immediately above the restricted portion 58 which merges in a down-ward leg at 62, and then horizontally outwardly at 64 through the combustion outlet opening Zil in the end wall 14. Each housing 54 is formed of a stamped sheet-metal plate of syml ietrically' opposed configuration and joined together by aligned flanges 66, which thereby form the closed structure. Also, the downward leg 62 is separated from the enlarged lower portion 56 by opposed abutting portions 68 formed in the plates. The combustion chamber housing 54- carries an enlarged bulge 76 adjacent its lower forward end, and an enlarged portion 72 of generally rectangular configuration at its opposite end. The enlarged portion 72. is inclined at 73 for cooperation engagement with the inclined transition wall 36 and is also here open to the atmosphere. The enlarged portions 72, of course, are in abutment with, and in communication with one another by suitable openings (not shown); and, flanged ignition port 74 having a removable transparent cap 75 joined thereto is joined to one of the housings 54 for initially lighting the pilot light or the like (not shown) after installation. The port 74 extends upwardly through the top wall 26. Also, in view of the fact the housings 54 have their associated outlet legs 64 spaced apart (FIGURE 2) the opening 29 is properly closed from the atmosphere by a plate 75a.

Each of the housings 54 carries a gas burner head 76 of cast iron or the like, which has a tapered free end 73 nesting in the housing bulge 7th to provide support for the same. These burner heads 76 are aligned with the enlarged passage 38 in the transition wall 36 (FIG- URE 5), so that sufficient air is provided to properly burn the gas emitted from the burner heads 76. The burner heads 76 are joined to a manifold 30 which is, in turn, connected to a conventional gas regulating valve 82. A suitable control rod 8-: is joined to the gas valve 82 and extends to the top of the blower chamber 23 for convenient access.

As described, the combustion chamber housings 54 are longitudinally aligned within the air heating chamber 30, and, being spaced apart, serve as battles to direct the air from the blower 42 across their outer surface to provide an appropriate reheating of the recirculated air. The outermost housings 5d are spaced apart from the side walls 12, 12' of the heater casing it Carried in this space are longitudinally aligned baffle plates 86, 86 which extend from the top wall and terminate at their lower ends in inwardly extending flanges 87, 87. The flanges 87, S7 in turn terminate adjacent the outermost combustion chamber housings 54, a distance above the bottom wall 32 (FIGURE 4). The bafiie plates 86, 86 abut the partition wall 24, and terminate short of the end wall 112 so that there is provided a generally U-shaped plenum chamber 88. In this regard, the air discharged from the blower 42 is thereby confined by the baffle plates 86, 36', is directed across the combustion chamber housings 54, and thence into the area of the plenum between the baffle plates 85, 85 and respective side Walls 1 2, 12'. This heated air then flows into the ducts 16 and to the remote areas where the heated air is thereby distributed.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 9 which shows an electric control circuit according to another feature of this invention. A remotely positioned room thermostat T is connected to the gas valve 82; and to one side of a transformer J carried in a junction box. The opposite side of the transformer J is connected to the motor 48; and a fan thermostat T F is located adjacent the blower 42 as by mounting the same on the partition wall 24. A limit thermostat T is carried on this side of the transformer, operative in the event of a blower failure.

As the room thermostat T calls for heat and opens the gas valve 82, gas is introduced to the burners 76 through the manifold 89. The heat then rises, reversing air flow out of the blower 42. This rising heated air closes the fan thermostat T starting the blower motor 48 and thereby forcing air past the housings 54 and through the outlet ducts 16 via the plenum 88. When the room thermostat closes the gas valve 82, the fan thermostat T will then become relatively cool, and the blower motor 48 will be shut off after the gas supply is secured.

From the foregoing description of the various embodiments of this invention, it is evident that the objects of this invention, together with many practical advantages are successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been described, numerous further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A floor furnace heater comprising: an outer casing having opposed pairs of side and end walls and means for supporting the outer casing with its upper end generally coextensive with a floor, a transverse partition wall having an opening therein and joined to opposed side walls defining thereby a blower chamber and an air heating chamber, said blower chamber being open at its upper end and adapted to be located adjacent a fioor and said air heating chamber being of closed construction and including a top wall and a bottom wall joined to said side walls; grate means constructed and arranged to be carried on the top of said outer casing above said blower chamber; a blower mounted in said blower chamber for receiving return air from the surrounding air space and discharging the return air into said air heating chamber through the opening in said transverse partition wall; a plurality of combustion chamber housings positioned within said air heating chamber for burning fuel therein and directing the combustion products upwardly and thence downwardly and out of said air heating chamber, said combustion chamber housings extending along a substantial portion of the length of said air heatin chamber and being joined at their lower ends while spaced apart from one another at their upper ends, whereby air is heated while moving past the length of the exterior surfaces thereof from said blower; bafile means spaced intermediate the opposed side walls of said air heating chamber transverse to said partition wall and between said side walls and said plurality of housings for directing air substantially across said air heating chamber, said baffle means substantially abutting said transverse partition wall and being spaced from the casing end wall which forms the end wall of said air heating chamber and defining thereby a substantially U-shaped outlet plenum with respect to said opposed side walls, and means for connecting outlet duct means to said outlet plenum to thereby discharge the heated air.

2. Heater defined in claim 1 including hot air discharge ducts joined to said plenum below the floor for discharging the air to remote spaces within a building whereby recirculated air is returned from said remote spaces by the blower within said blower chamber.

3. Heater defined in claim 1 including a bottom wall in said blower heating chamber spaced above said air chamber bottom wall; an inclined transition plate joined to the bottom wall of said air heating chamber and terminating at said blower chamber bottom wall and having an opening therein, said combustion chamber housings being positioned adjacent said opening and having lower open ends aligned therewith; and burner heads carried in said openings.

4. Heater defined in claim 1 wherein each of said housings include symmetrically opposed stamped plates engaged to one another about the outer free surfaces, said plates having opposed depressed portions engaging one another from the bottom thereof upwardly to an intermediate portion, defining thereby a downwardly inclined outlet duct, and a restricted portion transverse to said depressed portion and extending rearwardly substantially the longitudinal length of said members towards said blower whereby combustion occurs in the lower portion of said members and the heat is distributed substantially throughout the area thereof, the restricted portion thereby directing the hot gases rearwardly towards said partition wall, wherein the hot gases thence flow forwardly and downwardly, out of said housings.

5. Heater defined in claim 1 wherein said blower is a centrifugal fan.

6. Heater defined in claim 1 including an air filter carried intermediate said blower inlet and the upper opening of said blower chamber.

7. A floor furnace heater comprising: an outer casing having opposed generally parallel side and end walls and means for supporting the outer casing with its upper end generally coextensive with a floor; a transverse partition wall having an opening therein joined to opposed side walls dividing said outer easing into a blower chamber and an air heating chamber, said blower chamber being of a lesser depth than said air heating chamber; bottom walls for each of said chambers and a top wall for said air heating chamber, said blower chamber being open at its upper end and adapted to be located adjacent a floor; grate means constructed and arranged to be carried by the upper end of said outer casing at the floor; a transition wall between said bottom walls having an enlarged hole therein; fan means in said blower chamber for receiving air from the surrounding atmosphere and discharging the same into said air heating chamber through the opening in said transverse partition wall; combustion chamber housing means carried within said air heating chamber and having spaced apart portions aligned with the discharge path of air from said fan means; fuel supply means carried within said transistion wall opening and within said combustion chamber housing means; and opposed baffie means within said air heating chamber confining air from said fan means for movement across said housing means, said bafile means substantially abutting said transverse partition wall and terminating short of the casing end wall which forms the end wall of said air heating chamber to define a generally U-shaped plenum with respect to the adjacent side walls and said last-mentioned end wall; and means connecting outlet ducts to said plenum.

8. Heater defined in claim 7 including valve means connected to said fuel supply means; and electric circuit control means operative to shut off said fan means after closing said fuel supply valve means.

9. Heater defined in claim 8 wherein said control means includes a remote room thermostat controlling said valve means, and a fan thermostat positioned adjacent said fan means to control said motor means in response to changes of temperature within said air heating chamber.

10. Heater defined in claim 7 wherein said housing means includes a plurality of housing members, each of said housing members having a longitudinal dimension which is generally parallel to said opposed side walls and including a lower portion constructed to support said fuel supply means, said lower portions merging in an upward direction to a reduced restriction zone which extends substantially the longitudinal length of said housing member upwardly and rearwardly towards said partition wall, terminating short of the rearward end of said housing member, and then abruptly expanding upwardly to a duct portion thereabove, a downwardly extending leg communicating with said duct portion and a transverse outlet duct at the lower extremity of said leg joined to the wall of said casing opposite said partition wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,270,395 Tjernlund Jan. 20, 1942 2,416,766 Miller et a1. Mar. 4, 1947 2,625,151 Kelly Jan. 13, 1953 2,658,504 Jaye et al Nov. 10, 1953 2,682,867 Cartter July 6, 1954 2,762,612 D-ruseikis Sept. 11, 1956 2,979,051 Porter Apr. 11, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,243,933 France Sept. 12, 1960 

1. A FLOOR FURNACE HEATER COMPRISING: AN OUTER CASING HAVING OPPOSED PAIRS OF SIDE AND END WALLS AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE OUTER CASING WITH ITS UPPER END GENERALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH A FLOOR, A TRANSVERSE PARTITION WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN AND JOINED TO OPPOSED SIDE WALLS DEFINING THEREBY A BLOWER CHAMBER AND AN AIR HEATING CHAMBER, SAID BLOWER CHAMBER BEING OPEN AT ITS UPPER END AND ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED ADJACENT A FLOOR AND SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER BEING OF CLOSED CONSTRUCTION AND INCLUDING A TOP WALL AND A BOTTOM WALL JOINED TO SAID SIDE WALLS; GRATE MEANS CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO BE CARRIED ON THE TOP OF SAID OUTER CASING ABOVE SAID BLOWER CHAMBER; A BLOWER MOUNTED IN SAID BLOWER CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING RETURN AIR FROM THE SURROUNDING AIR SPACE AND DISCHARGING THE RETURN AIR INTO SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION WALL; A PLURALITY OF COMBUSTION CHAMBER HOUSINGS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER FOR BURNING FUEL THEREIN AND DIRECTING THE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS UPWARDLY AND THENCE DOWNWARDLY AND OUT OF SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER, SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER HOUSINGS EXTENDING ALONG A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER AND BEING JOINED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS WHILE SPACED APART FROM ONE ANOTHER AT THEIR UPPER ENDS, WHEREBY AIR IS HEATED WHILE MOVING PAST THE LENGTH OF THE EXTERIOR SURFACES THEREOF FROM SAID BLOWER; BAFFLE MEANS SPACED INTERMEDIATE THE OPPOSED SIDE WALLS OF SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER TRANSVERSE TO SAID PARTITION WALL AND BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID PLURALITY OF HOUSING FOR DIRECTING AIR SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER, SAID BAFFLE MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTTING SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION WALL AND BEING SPACED FROM THE CASING END WALL WHICH FORMS THE END WALL OF SAID AIR HEATING CHAMBER AND DEFINING THEREBY A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED OUTLET PLENUM WITH RESPECT TO SAID OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING OUTLET DUCT MEANS TO SAID OUTLET PLENUM TO THEREBY DISCHARGE THE HEATED AIR. 